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| | LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION: | Sous-fonds | | No.: | PR3396.003SF | | TITLE: | Calgary Estonian Society sous-fonds | | CREATOR: | Calgary Estonian Society | | DATE RANGE: | [18-?]-2007 | | EXTENT: | 0.96 m of textual records and other material
Includes 39 photographs, 15 drawings, 2 videotapes, 1 DVD, and 1 data CDs [102 digital files] | | ADMINISTRATIVE | | HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | The Calgary Estonian Society (CES) was established on June 17, 1950, with Nikolai Rouk serving as its first president. Before the CES was established as an independent society, it existed as a branch of the Southern Alberta Estonian Society (Louna Alberta Eesti Selts). The Calgary Estonian Society’s activities included organizing small weekly events, large annual celebrations, and private social functions. Estonian pioneers gathered on a weekly basis at the Calgary YWCA during the 1950’s. CES membership would be increased with the arrival of Estonian refugees following the Second World War. The most popular events hosted by the organization were the celebration of Independence Day on February 24th, Jaanipäev, which is a traditional Estonian holiday celebrated during the summer solstice, Christmas concerts, and church services. Most celebrations integrated speeches, songs, dancing and food. Members of the Estonian community in Calgary also participated in local fairs, showcasing Estonian cuisine, art, and clothing.
During the 1950s and 60s the Estonian population in Calgary reached 200, and the CES contributed a float to the Calgary Stampede in 1955 and again in 1973. An Estonian language school, The Calgary Estonian Supplementary School, was established in the late 1980s, functioning on a bi-weekly basis, with the intent of teaching Estonian language and culture to children of Estonian descent. It ceased operation in the early 1990s. Estonian Independence in 1991 led to a number of Estonian cultural events in Calgary including a joint celebration with the Latvian and Lithuanian communities in October 1991. The Society’s activities decreased later in the 1990s and the organization disbanded in 2006, amalgamating into the Alberta Estonian Heritage Society.
| | CUSTODIAL HISTORY: | Dave Kiil, member of the Alberta Estonian Heritage Society and former president of the Edmonton Estonian Society, deposited the records at the Provincial Archives of Alberta. | | SCOPE AND CONTENT: | The Calgary Estonian Society sous-fonds forms part of the Alberta Estonian Heritage Society fonds along with the Medicine Valley Estonian Society sous-fonds and the Edmonton Estonian Society sous-fonds.
The Calgary Estonian Society sous-fonds consists of society records including minutes, reports, budgets, correspondence, clippings, by-laws, registration, constitution, resolutions, membership lists, event programs, exhibit catalogue, brochures, and newsletters.
The sous-fonds also includes records regarding the Canadian-Estonian History Commission and the History of Estonians in Canada, International Black Ribbon Day, Estonian Government Elections, Visit of the President of Estonia, the Centennial of Estonians in Canada celebrated at Stettler, Alberta, and the Calgary Estonian Supplementary School.
The sous-fonds also consists of personal documents of Estonian-Albertan pioneers including photographs, journals, poetry, writings, sketches, correspondence, audio recordings and legal documents, including the records of notable Albertan-Estonians Mall Veer and Dr. Hans Kivisild and Joseph J. Tipman.
| | ASSOCIATED MATERIAL: | Several Estonian artifacts from the sous-fonds are in the collection of the Royal Alberta Museum, including samples of Mall Veer’s needlework. | | GENERAL NOTE: | Information for the administrative history/biographical sketch was sourced from conversations with the donor and from the website “Alberta’s Estonian Heritage:” http://www.aehs.ca/ accessed July 8, 2010. | | RELATED FONDS: | PR3396 (Alberta Estonian Heritage Society)
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